Protective device



Dec. 1, 'i925' L564J27 R. v. CRAIG PROTECTIVE DEVICE Filed June 12,-1925VIII/IIL W= A'ITCRNEY Patented Dec. 1, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT.. OFFICE.

ROYAL VINCENT CRAIG, F ANiNADALE, PRINCE BAY, YORK.

rno'rn'rivn DEVICE.

Application filed .Tune 12, 1925. Serial No. 36,727. 4

To all whom it may concern.'

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` Be it known that I, ROYAL VINCENT CRAiG, a citizen of United States,residing at'Annadale, Prince Bay, Staten Island, 1n the county ofRichmond and State of New York, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Protective Devices, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in protective devices for useagainst hold- The principal object of the invention resides in a meansfor shielding the clerk of a store, bank or other like place ofbusiness, against gun tire by a bandit or robber in the event of anattempted robbery and which means is operated by the vict-im 1n a man-`ner as to not cause suspicion on the part of the bandit.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bulle-t proof` shieldwhich is normally held in a concealed position beneath the counter of a'store b the use of a sensitive member which is a apted to be released bythe depressionof a treadle bar which in turn causes a spring means toautomatically move said shield with great rapidityto a position abovethe counter, thus forming a partition between the opposite sides of thecounter, and which shield is adapted to close an electric circuit uponreachin the limit of its closing movement to visua y or audibly sound analarm to persons outside the building in which the device is installedthereby indicating that an attempted holdup is occurring within. g

With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in certainnovel construction and combination and arrangement of parts, theessential features of which are hereinafter fully described, areparticularly pointed out 1n the appended claim, and are illustrated inthe accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of myinvention installed with the shield ina lowered or set position.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the vline 2-2 ofFigure 1, with the shield in a raised position as indicated in dottedlines.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 1. f

- Referring more particularly to the-drawing, lthe reference numeral 10designates a counter, and 11 the frame work Surrounding 4ing movement.

the same whichv defines a window opening 12,and behind which the clerkof a store or bank isadapted to be positioned in the performance of hisduties.I It is behind .such a counter that my invention is adapted to beinstalled and which is shown in its entirety as at 13.

The apparatus 13 comprises a. shield or panel 14'of bullet Cproofmaterial such as hard steel in order to withstand the eifects of gunfire. The topvof the shield is provided with eyes 15 which'overhang theside edges of theA shield and are formed with elongated openings for thepassa-ge of verticalrods 16 which extend from the floor to the top otthe window and are disposed adjacent to side walls of the window. Guiderails 17 are secured to the side walls4 of the window for guiding theshield in its slid- Expansion springs 18 surround the rods 16 and areinterposed be- `t'ween the eyes 15 and the floor, and which normallytend to move the shield to a posib tion to close the window opening 12.l l

For normally concealing the shieldA beneath the window and counter andagainst the action of the springs 18, there is providedl a triggermember 19 which is pivotally mounted on the floor midway between therods 16. i The trigger member is formed with abill 20 for movement intoan opening 21 in the shield adjacent the lower edge thereof,while a tail22 formed onthe trigger extends upward at an angle with respect to thefloor. A treadle bar 23 isslidably mounted in the path of the tail 22and is normally disposed out of engagement with the tail by the actionof flat springs 24 carried by the underside ofthe treadle' bar and whichengage the Hoor. The treadle bar is l limited .in 1ts upward movement bystops 25 carried at the top of a pair of lrails or post 26 on whichl thetreadle bar is slidable.-

Inrrioperation, lwe shall presume that the shield is in aset positionbeneath the counter and the trigger in engagement with the shield forholding the same-down against the action of the springs'lS.' A robbernow enters the store and demands the clerk behind the'counter tothrow-11p his hands at which time the clerk rom tly obeys butsimultaneously presses isi oot upon the treadle bar 23, depressing thesame and causing the bar to .engage the tail of the trigger which causesthe bill of the trigger to free the shield, at which time the springs 18move the shield to a raised position with great rapidity. This providesa barrier v between opposite sides of the counter which protects thelife of the clerk against gun fire. When the pressure of 'the foot isreleased on the treadle'bar, the same is moved to a normal position bythe action of the springs 24. It will be noted that by extending thetreadle bar the entire length of the counter as shown in the drawing,lthe same may be actuated by the clerk standing .in an electric circuit29. The -circuit -includes a signal in the nature of a'lamp orbell and asource of energy such as a battery 31. As the shield reaches the limitof its upward `movement, the contacts .27

and 28 will be. brought into co-acting posi tion, thus closing thecircuit at which time the bell will sound or the lamp be lighted.

If desired, peep openings 32 may be provided in the shield for theaccommodation of the person behind the counter inorder that he may Viewthe further actions of the bandit or robber. Of course, these openingswill-be of such size as to prevent agun being inserted therethrough.

What is claimed as new is In a device of the class described, thecombination with` a window, a shield s1idably mounted in the side .wallsthereof, springs for normally holding said shield in a raised positionto cover the window opening, a pivotally mounted trigger, co-actingmeans between said trigger and said shield for holding said shield in aconcealed position behind said window, a tail extending from saidtrigger, a vertically movable treadle bar in the path of said tail forreleasing said co-acting means, and springs for normally holding'saidtreadle bar out of engagement with Said tail.

In testimony whereof I have alixed my signature.

ROYAL CRAIG.

